Overview

David Lynch wades through dark waters in his adaptation of Frank Herbert's cult science fiction novel. In condensing Herbert's rambling and complex book by eliminating characters and compacting events, Lynch succeeds in rendering the story incomprehensible to those unfamiliar with the novel and making the film look like a sketchy greatest hits collection of the book for Herbert fans. The story takes place in the year 10,191. The universe is governed through a system of feudal rule, presided over by Padishah ...

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Overview

David Lynch wades through dark waters in his adaptation of Frank Herbert's cult science fiction novel. In condensing Herbert's rambling and complex book by eliminating characters and compacting events, Lynch succeeds in rendering the story incomprehensible to those unfamiliar with the novel and making the film look like a sketchy greatest hits collection of the book for Herbert fans. The story takes place in the year 10,191. The universe is governed through a system of feudal rule, presided over by Padishah Emperor Shaddam IV José Ferrer, who appears to take his marching orders from something that resembles a talking vagina. In the kingdom are two rival houses -- the House of Atreides and the House of Harkonnen. Each house is trying to gain dominion over the universe, but that dominion can only be gained by the house that controls the Spice, a special substance that permits the folding of time. The Spice is only available on the desert world of Arrakis, or Dune. Shaddam, tired of the feuding between the two houses, permits the Atreides to take over the Spice production on Dune, while secretly working with the Harkonnens to launch a sneak attack on the Atreides and destroy them. The leader of the Atreides is Duke Leto Jürgen Prochnow, who rules with the help of his concubine Jessica Francesca Annis and son Paul Kyle MacLachlan. The rival Harkonnens are headed by the pus-oozing degenerate Baron Vladimir Harkonnen Kenneth McMillan, in a thoroughly through-the-roof performance and his two unsavory nephews, Rabban Paul L. Smith and Feyd Sting. When his father is murdered by the Harkonnens, Paul escapes to Dune, where he is greeted by the Fremen the desert dwellers on Dune who prepare the Spice as the messiah foretold in Fremen legend. Paul assumes the mantle of messiah and leads the Fremen in a revolt that topples the balance of power in the universe.

Editorial Reviews

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Surrealist auteur David Lynch turned down the intergalactic chance to direct Return of the Jedi in order to work on this screen adaptation of Frank Herbert's epic novel, and a fine decision it was, as Dune certainly creates a better playground for Lynch's infamous imagery. In the year 10,191, the most sought-after substance in the feudal universe is the powerful spice known as Melange. However, the sole source of the spice is the desert wasteland of Arrakis, otherwise known as Dune. Emperor Shaddam Jose Ferrer sets up Duke Leto Atreides Jurgen Prochnow with the spice trade on Dune, only to attempt to steal it back from him, all in a backwards effort to eliminate competition. Lynch regular Kyle MacLachlan puts in a fine performance as Paul, Leto's son, who is hinted at as a messiah and reminiscent of Luke Skywalker. Lynch had to cut a lot from Herbert's original vision, which sometimes causes for a confusing plot, but oddities such as grotesquely large sand worms and notoriously disturbing villains make up for any convolutions. Kenneth McMillan is beautifully over-the-top as Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, a balloon-like pustule of pure evil and bad skin, and Sting is delightfully cold as the Baron's equally evil but much more attractive nephew, Feyd. Bordering on camp with dozens of classic lines like, "Uzul, we have wormsign the likes of which even God has never seen," Dune is a unique necessity for any sci-fi fan's collection. Simon Goetz

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Refreshing Fantasy

This adaptation of Herbert's novel is an absolute stroke of genius on the part of Lynch! He rightly cut it down to size for viewers who are unacquainted with the novel. The plot is dynamic with suspense, romance and intrigue built in. The stars played their parts well. It is refreshing to see that there are still directors out there that believe in good overcoming evil.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

original is always beter

The original 1984 dune is amazing. I mean if u are a real sci-fi lover... you'll know that dune is way better than star wars can ever be. Had a great plot.. but i also recommend reading the book first. All though the movie was missing some parts, it was a breakthrough story for me, and it is a little hard to understand and follow along at some points, but its all good in the end. Their ''special effects'' were awsome and Patrick Richards is in some parts of the movie.... although he looks the same. See the movie, love it, buy it. I am a guy who just likes movies and books or should i say stories, asks for a plot that is not too complicated nor too vague, but that perfectness that a good storie will carry within it. Dune carries i can say 90% of the elements of a good plot and story and I loved the movie.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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eliasmanoffat

Posted July 1, 2013

I loved the uncut version.

I loved the uncut version.

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Sacagawea

Posted October 1, 2010

I Also Recommend:

The Sci-Fi Classic the Critics Missed

One of the few great visionary writers of the 20th century writing in the Fantasy genre(the others being J.R.R. Tolkien, Philip K. Dick and Asimov) had the good luck to see his genius truly appreciated in thoughtful interpretations. In the 80's another kind of visionary brought his cinematic talents to the work of Frank Herbert's Dune Chronicles. Largely under appreciated as well as snubbed by the critics in 1984 they also lambasted Cimino's Heaven's Gate and the updated Scarface starring Al Pacino largely, I believe, because those films did not meet to their pre-ordained standards of what a film should be in their own circuit of Woody Allen or Robert Altman films both of whose films I love.
But David Lynch came out of another tradition mainly centering around the New York underground scene. Which is why his previous films like Eraserhead and The Elephant Man seemed to be so bizarre and surreal perhaps (Indeed it was after Mel Brooks saw Eraserhead that he knew he had the director he wanted for The Elephant Man which he owned the rights to and would serve as producer for that film).
But when Dune came out the critics all jumped on it saying it wasn't this and it wasn't that neglecting to notice the new cinematic world that was emerging wiht films like Ridley Scott's Bladerunner, Total Recall (both based on Philip K. Dick stories) or later on Spielberg's AI and Minority Report (another Dick story). In this new Akira-liked based world the old values don't apply anymore and it takes a visionary like David Lynch to point the way.
I am thrilled that I am able to get both versions of Dune on one DVD and I am just sorry there is not the version available before Lynch's final cut which purportedly was six hours long! I'd watch that too!

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

oldie

funny

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

A major cinematic guilty pleasure

David Lynch’s Dune is one of my major cinematic guilty pleasures. No matter how horrible this movie is (and this movie is truly horrible), I cannot pass up an opportunity to watch it. Part of the pleasure of viewing this movie is simply trying to figure out where it went wrong. Is it the chronic use of inner voice to explain that which is clearly evident? Is it the dialogue that would impair the performance of the most seasoned actor? Is it the ridiculous special effects that make the riding of the great worms look moronic, or, is the use of a musical score by Toto? You be the judge! For fans of Herbert’s novels, Frank Herbert’s Dune gives the novel a better and more faithful cinematic reading.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

dune

I remember this movie quite fondly and Ihave seen the longer version on the sci fi channel, irecommend this movie beside star trek tng you will see patrick steward playing a good guy who helps our hero.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

do you know

In my opinion Dune is better than any Star wars movies, and since the fisrt time I saw it, I wanted to read everything about the amazing world of Dune. But, do you know that there is another version of the same movie? It is longher, with more scene and explanations. It's never been shown on any screen ( they wrote so on the Italian dvd cover ), though I think that fans of Dune are missing somethig.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

''A World Beyond Imagination..''

It [Dune] stops here and there, picking at the vast and varried feast which is Herbert's Dune universe, sampling what it can present to Lynch's audience, in palatable bites, without drowning or gorging in the great depth of the written works. From Lynch's volley, I FELT 'it'; an entree to that world. I was 8 when I first saw it. It was STUNNING. My imagination SOARED, for weeks and months following. The wondrous, quiet beauty, of that alien desert, its lonely, tragic music, populated by mysterious people, steeped in custom and purpose. RIDING the great worms. The richly detailed characters, in presentation, custom, and nearly unfathomably language. Beautiful, strange, and eyepopping. That's what I first took from it, and what I am reminded of. On a hot summer night, some 20 years back. I stayed interested in Herbert, and his ability to develope a universe on paper, in great and engrossing detail. This is an adaption, and cannor, or shouldn not, suite every taste. But if science fiction has a place in Cinema, this is great Cinema. And that's not always in a form we EXPECT or recognise. It would be no fun if it was. I cannot dismiss it, precisely because of what I wasn't expecting, and experienced. I miss great movies like that now. In all their imperfection.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

Buy It, Watch It, Retire to Bed

So it rains at the end, so some of the space craft look like craft cheese. This movie is hot! The lines are hysterical, ''Wormsign! Is that wormsign?'', profound, ''The beginning is a delicate time,'' delicate, ''It jars something deep inside, allowing him to grow: the sleeper must awaken''--Toto's themesong swells loud, ''Usul has called a big one!'' Paul standing above the Fremen, flourishes his knife (it cannot be sheathed without having first drawn blood)...And I'm hooked. It's Christmas and I'm stumped for a gift to give my mother who's a Herbert nut. She has Dune taped from TV, Dune VHS. She's getting Dune DVD. Big time.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

Narrow-minded movie watchers...

My dear God, shall You ever make us all forget books we have read when we are watching movies?! I think that every reasoning which demands on a movie a mere illustration of a novel can be automatically dismissed. Lynch may not be the prefection itself (who is?), but his way of thinking as an artist is valid without any doubt. He made his own version of Herbert's Dune, and if this differs from the novel (which somehow I find natural), it doesn't mean that his artistic values are in question. America, teach your children some reception of arts!

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

Fascinating, often brilliant failure

Some misfires are more worth watching than many total successes. Lynch need not repudiate this film, as he has, apparently under pressure to disown it to restore his dignity in Hollywood. While no one could have overcome the basic problem of telling such a sprawling science-fiction story full of made-up names, races, places, technologies and traditions in 2-1/2 hours -- virtually every scene is burdened with expository dialogue -- and though Lynch's unenthusiasm for conventional heroes is clear (the film really comes alive during the sicko Harkonnen scenes), Dune is replete with successful scenes; they simply don't, and can't, add up to a successful film. As there isn't much sustained drama, the large international cast of superb actors brings virtually all the depth the film has, depicting their characters and conveying layers of subtext in a line or two, with flawless readings and great dignity -- the exceptions being Linda Hunt, who overdoes her two scenes; uproariously (and welcomely) over-the-top Kenneth McMillan; and, often, the otherwise fine Kyle MacLachlin in his debut. Standouts for range, depth and impact are Francesca Annis, Max von Sydow, Freddy Francis (sp?), Dean Stockwell, Patrick Stewart, Sian Phillips (who is brilliant, except for one line it would be impossible to read well, near the end). Even the crowd of bit players and extras make this strange story believable, with convincing military bearing amongst the soldiers, persuasive dedication amongst the Atreides bodyguards and technical servants, and menacing lassitude amongst the Spice-besotted but politically supreme Guild Navigators. The production design is unique and absolutely ravishing: vividly detailed to the smallest particular, highly varied by each of the four planets we visit, a banquet for the eyes -- and looks nothing whatsoever like 2001, Star Wars, Star Trek, or Blade Runner. Sian Phillips' black robes swirl in arcs as she sweeps out of a room; personal force-fields are not glowing auras, but bronze and cubist, like buzzing translucent coffins with arms; Harkonnen chimes are discordant, and their music is a whine tortured out of a box; the Baron Harkonnen wears his sores and pustules like beauty spots, and, about to have sex with his nephew, shouts, ''WHERE'S MY DOCTOR?'' The sound design, always a mesmerizing treat in a Lynch film, is complex, weird, and a great help in sustaining the film. Editing is excellent, the Toto music not bad and often appropos, though Maurice Jarre or Jerry Goldsmith would have lifted the film a notch or two higher. The FX are often good, but often un-good by even the standards of 1984, as in the bluescreen sequences, many of which would be howlers today. Too many scenes are weakened by a single clumsy FX shot amongst several that are smashingly good, a single line read badly (usually MacLachlin), or a single thing designed unimaginatively (the Heighliners). A romance is depicted in a couple of lines and one or two striking images, and again we are denied an involving drama. Lynch conveys a lot with economical dialogue, then overdoes it with unnecessary inner-monologue voice-overs. Yet, this film was apparently a monster hit in Japan, like A.I. was, and has its fans here (it is a favorite of Texas writer Neal Barrett Jr.). I understand that Frank Herbert approved of it, and while the story may have been better laid out in the new cable version (unseen by this reviewer), it couldn't have been done with the imagination and power on show here. A worthy depiction of science fiction ideas, well worth the time of real SF fans (not those who came late to the genre by way of action-packed nonsense like Star Wars or Total Recall or The Matrix) ... but finally, rather like the biggest SF film of the 1930s, Things to Come, just a depiction, and not a gripping, engrossing film. BTW: Universal basically killed the film following a management change, and it was not promoted; the new big shot often shows his power

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

DUNE MAYBE THE GREATEST NEXT TO STARWARS AND STAR TREK

DUNE,''YES FOLKS MAYBE THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME .THE ORGINAL MOTION PICTURE WITH IT''S DARK IMAGING AND COMPLEX CHARACTERS MAKES THIS FILM A ALL TIME FAVORITE.A EPIC SAGA TOLD TEN THOUSAND YEARS IN THE FUTURE TELLS THE STORY OF ONE MAN DESTINY TO CHANGE THE VERY FABRIC AND CONCIOUS OF THE KNOWN UNIVERSE.I MYSELF A SIENCE FICTION LOVER, WAS CAPTIVATED BY THIS SPELL BINDING TALE OF LOVE,POWER,MANAPLATION AND LOYALTY WHICH TRANSENDS THE BOUNDS OF ANY OTHER SAGA IN THE PAST OR TO DATE.I GIVE THIS MASTER PEICE A FIVE STAR RATING AND LOOK FOR THE SEQUIL TO THIS ICON.I HOPE THAT WHO EVER DECIDES TO TAKE ON SUCH A PROJECT DOES THIS MOVIE JUSTICE.I REALY WOULD LIKE TO SEE PART THREE (DUNE - CHILDREN OF DUNE)BROUGHT TO LIFE.

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Anonymous

Posted June 3, 2002

Somewhat confusing, but it finds a place in your heart...

I'd like to point out that this is a hard movie to rate, mainly because although it portrays the epic that takes place on Dune, there is certainly a lot missing. When I first was introduced to Dune, I was pretty young, maybe 6 or 7 years old. This being the case, I saw the movie before reading the books. I must admit that the holes in the plot were rather confusing at first until my parents, who had, of course, read the books could fill them in. With this in mind, Dune was perhaps the our number one family film that we would watch together. Several years ago, I breezed through all the books (although I haven't had the time to read the prequels written recently by Frank Herbert's son) and found that the novels were much more complicated than the movie. Now, it's understandable that David Lynch could not put every single detail into the movie. Otherwise, it would be at least 9 hours long. Taking this into consideration, Dune is a great movie and if you happen to see it and are utterly confused, don't judge the books based on it. It's best to know what's happening while watching it, or have someone on hand that knows what everything means. This adds to the enjoyment of the experience.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

An excellent movie

One of the best movies ever, but unfortunately misunderstood. To fully comprehend the film, I advice reading the book first.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

Adapting to this Dune Adaptation

Obviously, this movie strays wide from the book. This has frustrated many literary fans for years. However, for it's time, this movie was well executed. Science fiction movie fans will enjoy the mood of the piece as well the characters though the first time viewer will be confused by the obscure terminology and concepts. I enjoyed the HG Well's Time Machine influence and could tell that it was done in a foreign country. The movie stands up to repeated viewing (actually the secret to really enjoying it) and is still one of my favorites. The beautiful Francesca Annis (Jessica Attreides) and Max Von Sydow (Pardot Kynes) are memorable in their parts and the casting was excellent. Though Patrick Stewart was not really the Gurney Halleck of the book, he added to the movie. In summary, the overall acting is convincing. Lynch's direction is at times brilliant and at others borderline pretentious. Given the meat of the story, it would be hard one to translate into pictures so I excuse most of the faux-pauxs. I also appreciate that he didn't stoop to the post-apocalyptic noir that so many sci-fi films were going with at the time such as Blade Runner and kept an organic Old World feeling throughout. It is obvious that he is a very talented insightful director.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

Consider This if You're Bored

This movie, thanks to the confusing spot-acting and poor attention to detail, is a real letdown for Dune fans worldwide. David Lynch _should_ be lynched for making this film. The ledgend goes that Ridley Scott got shafted as the director, which was the first mistake that Dino DeLaurentis could have made. The casting is excellent, with some readily-identifiable geek favorites (Sean Young, Patrick Stewart) in modern times, but good actors do not a movie make. It's obvious nobody had the heart to tell poor, psychotic Lynch that his early work stunk, because he's still proud of it. Having read the entirety of the original sequence of books, I can safely say that this movie not only blasphemes the aim and feel of the original book, but gives some folk the wrong idea about Dune entirely, which is definitely not the point of making a book-based screenplay. On the lighter side, the only way that this movie could get worse is if they took out the catchy music, which I find myself humming every so often (even though it's so repetitive, overdone, and precocious in the movie). My verdict? Watch this movie if you want to be confused/bored/sickened or if you have a date over and just need something for ''background noise'' (worked for me, unfortunately). What really got to me is that I was a fan of Lynch films up until I saw this one. What a letdown. Two stars.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

The work of a demented genius

David Lynch's DUNE is a confusing mish-mash of the award-winning novel written by Frank Herbert. In 2 hours and twenty minutes, Lynch manages to hit just enough high points in the story to keep it moving in a comprehensible manner. However, he also fails to trim out enough of Herbert's linguistic excesses, and adds his own demented spin on the evil Harkonnens, making them laughable enemies rather than the calculating conspirator's of the novel. His addition of such strange concepts as ''The Wierding Module'' and the Baron's puss-laden boils add nothing to the story, and nearly push it to the level of a farce. But there is just enough genius here in the staging of certain scenes (Paul's training; the Reverend Mother's test) and the inspired casting (Patrick Stewart, Sian Phillips, Francesca Annis, Max Von Sydow) to keep it on track. A matinee' version of the film with about 30 extra minutes of incomprehensible footage slapped in has been around for several years. Lynch refused to allow his name to be used on this version. With over 4 hours of film originally shot this film cries out for a director's cut. Perhaps with a new TV version due out in December, there will be some incentive for the studio and director to finally clarify the film version of the story.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

Great Movie

Dune is a great movie! I've seen it several times and sometimes can't get enough of it. If you love Sci-Fi you will love this movie. Plot is hard to follow, but once you get it, you'll be amazed and shocked. It's a thrilling ride throughout the galaxy of this awe-stricking movie.

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Anonymous

Posted October 1, 2010

good adaptation

this movie is very good, but the book is great. the script is a little confusing, but the acting is fabulous as well as great music by TOTO. please see this 80s film!

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